President Frantz Gumbs, joined by several taxi association representatives, talks to the media on Friday following their meeting on the controversial taxi fee issue.
MARIGOT--The Collectivité backed down on Friday from implementing a controversial 150-euro annual parking tax/fee proposed last year for use of French side taxi facilities.
The French-side authorities backed down in response to a huge demonstration organised yesterday by taxi associations of both sides of the island.
The protest, not well publicised in advance, was re-ignited by a letter delivered to French-side taxi drivers last week requesting the fee be paid despite respective Government representatives last year postponing the decision to rethink the measures after the first protests were held.
Dutch-side taxi associations, which received the original letter last year, have been exempted since then from paying the fee.
The latest letter reportedly indicated the actual fee of 210 euros, including a 60-euro registration fee, that should be paid by February 20.
Saint Martin United Taxi Association (SMUTA) reported that some 270 taxis of all the associations had gathered at the Galisbay port at 7:30am for a peaceful protest and drive through the centre of Marigot. Taxi drivers then walked to Hotel de la Collectivité where a 15-person delegation met with President Frantz Gumbs around mid-morning.
Following a closed-door meeting with the delegation of taxi drivers and Collectivité technicians, President Frantz Gumbs conceded the fee would not be implemented for either French- or Dutch-side taxi drivers, but the registration fee would stand.
“The law applies to everybody French side and Dutch side, but if you cannot implement it [tax] for all, then you have to implement it for no one. That’s my position,” Gumbs told reporters. “But I told the French-side taxi drivers that the identification/registration cost would be maintained, because that identification has to be done every year.”
He said the 150-euro fee would be re-discussed not only with the taxi associations, but also with the Government on the Dutch side, because it concerned the general organisation of the taxi profession.
Gumbs admitted the issue had been implemented badly and not resolved last year as had been intended, and now with campaigning and elections taking preference, he doubted the issue would be looked at again until after the election, and probably then by new people.
“It makes no sense addressing it now when the possibility exists of having a new team running the Collectivité,” he said.
Speculation rests on how the matter will be dealt with in the future, as the issue has now backfired twice on the Collectivité.
French-side taxi drivers complained that implementing an added tax when business was so poor on the French side was too much to bear. They noted that they already paid fees to work at the airport and harbour on the Dutch side.
SMUTA also cited a considerable loss of business for taxis because of charter boats from Anguilla delivering tourists directly to the airport pier and bypassing Marigot.
“We have to go to the Dutch side every day to get our daily bread to pay our light and water bills,” said taxi driver Anita Richards. “We have no work on the French side and not enough parking spaces because private cars are using them all the time. We don’t agree with this tax.
“Today we are saying enough is enough. We are ambassadors for the island and we need to be treated fairly. We are all together here today because if they are attacking the French side today eventually they will attack the Dutch side and we don’t want that. We are all united. We don’t want the governments to drive a wedge between us.”
Former SMUTA president Georges Parotte welcomed President Gumbs’ decision.
“I want to thank all the taxi associations for taking part in this peaceful demonstration that brought a very successful outcome,” Parotte said. “We need to have this solidarity more often. By coming out en masse it’s the only way the Government can hear and the taxi drivers can be heard.
“I want the Governments to know that taxi drivers are the greatest asset to this island. They are the ones that sell this island more than anyone. We deserve respect for that, but I also ask taxi drivers to have respect among themselves to be worthy of the title ambassador.”
Dutch St. Maarten Taxi Association President Ottis Hughes said the Dutch side associations had been invited to join the French side in the demonstration.
“We agreed out of concern the issue could cross the border,” he said.
